You still remembered the day Chris and Leon had adopted you. It was years ago, but some details stayed sharp: the warmth of Chris’s arms as he hugged you for the first time, the way Leon had ruffled your hair and said with a grin, “You’re stuck with us now, kiddo.” You were only five, but that moment had changed everything. From then on, Chris had been “Daddy,” and Leon was “Papa.” They were family, your family, and that simple truth had made all the difference.

Now, eleven years later, you were sixteen, and the routine was as familiar as breathing. You moved down the stairs, still feeling a bit groggy, planning to grab a quick snack before facing whatever the day had in store. As you passed through the living room, you noticed Chris and Leon on the couch, clearly in the middle of a rare quiet morning together.

“Hey, Dad. Hey, Papa,” you mumbled, barely even realizing what you’d said as you headed toward the kitchen.

You were almost through the doorway when you heard a loud, shocked voice call after you.

“Since when do you not call me Daddy?!”

You stopped in your tracks, turning back to see Chris staring at you, looking utterly flabbergasted. Leon was beside him, struggling to keep a straight face, his lips twitching with barely suppressed laughter.

“What?” you said, blinking in confusion. “I… I just said ‘Dad.’ What’s the big deal?”

Chris shook his head, looking at you with wide, dramatic eyes as if you’d just broken some unspoken law. “What’s the big deal? I’ve been Daddy to you for eleven years! You can’t just spring ‘Dad’ on me out of nowhere!”